Monday, 5 September 2016

AN English teacher at Guinea Fowl High School in Gweru has been arraigned for ill treating a form two pupil. Thandiwe Ncube (48) who resides at Guinea Fowl teacher’s cottages was not asked to plead when she appeared before Gweru Magistrate Mr Musaiona Shotgame. She was remanded out of custody to September 14 for trial.

She allegedly verbally abused the pupil and excluded her from lessons. Through her lawyers Dube and Legal Practitioners, Ncube requested for the postponement of matter. “Your Worship I apply for a postponement of the case because l received the psychologist report today. I need time to go through it,” she said.

Prosecuting Mrs Ndamukanei Chikuni told the court that, in January this year the complainant fell ill. She said the pupil’s mother went to Ncube and the headmaster to explain the situation.

“Ncube failed to appreciate and understand the complainant’s condition and started to torture and expose her to abuse,” said the prosecutor.

“The accused insulted the complainant by uttering the following words, ‘l will make your life miserable through unspecified various means,’” said Mrs Chikuni.

It is the state case that, the accused refused to mark and supervise the academic work of the pupil.“At times she would give her abnormal marks. The accused also did not mark and capture her results on the first term examinations and this was indicated in her school report,” she said.

Mrs Chikuni said at times Ncube would segregate and withdraw the pupil from class discussions and learning groups. Due to Ncube’s actions, said the prosecutor, the pupil’s learning has been affected since January.

The court heard the school’s headmaster, a Mr Mudzingwa, cautioned Ncube but she continued ill treating the child. The pupil’s mother reported the matter to the police leading to Ncube’s arrest. chronicle